Horse-tracking device for vehicles



(No'ModeL) ZSheets-Sheet 1 P. W. GASHION. HORSE TRACKING DEVICE FOR VBHIULES.

- No. 445,540. Patented Feb. 3, 1891.

ITFPHIA A %W (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. W. OASHION.

HORSE TRACKING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

No. 445,540. Patented Feb. 3, 1891.

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UNITED I STATES FFICE.

ATENT- PATRICK \V. lASHION, OF GLEUS FALLS, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,540, dated February 3, 1891. Application filed June 10, 1890. Serial No. 854,943. tNo model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK \V. CASHION, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glens Falls, in the county of Warren and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse- Tracking Devices for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pair of vehicle-shafts detached, with my improved tracking device attached. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of a portion of one shaft and device attached. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Figetis an edge view of the pad and standard detached. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 represent modified forms of pads and method of attachment.

My improved device comprises two standards erected from the shafts of a vehicle, one

from each shaft, each supporting at its upper end a pad or buffer in a position to engage the horse back of the flanlgprovided he travels so that his hind feet do not track with his fore feet. A single standard supporting a wheel and adj ustably hinged to a clip, which was secured to one of the shafts and made adjustable longitudinally of the shaft, has been heretofore employed to improve the gait of horses.

My improvement consists of various mechanisms for adapting the device to the various forms and sizes of horses without changing the position of the parts directly connected with the shafts.

The shafts A A are each provided with a bar A extending longitudinally of the shaft and fixed upon its lower side in any known manner, as by the clips A passing over the shaft and riveted or bolted to lugs A, projecting laterally from the bar. The bars are each provided with recesses A, adapted to receive the lower end of the standard A. The standard is adj ustably secured in one of the recesses by means of asst-screw A The standard is provided with aloop A adapted to receive the lower portion of the arm B. The arm is provided with a series of screwthreaded apertures 13, adapted to receive the screw A",which passes freely through an aperture in the standard, the shoulder A of the screw bearing upon the standard, whereby the arm may be adjustably secured upon the standard. The upper end of the arm is provided with a pad or bulferl3 pivoted thereon by means of the eyebolt B which passes through the apertures B in the angleirons B secured to the back of thebuffer by screws B and the eye B in the upper endof the arm. The eyeboltis screw-threaded and adapted to fit a screw-threaded aperture in one of the angle-irons, by which bolt the irons can be drawn into close engagement with the inclosed end of the arm containing the eye, to secure the buffer at any desired angle relatively to the arm,in which it may be adjusted by a pivotal movement. I am thus able to easily and quickly adjust the distance apart of the two buffers without changing the relative vertical position of the standard-arms; also to adjust theheight and relative angular position of the buffers to accommodate the same to the height and form of the horse.

The taller the horse the broader heis likely to be, and by having the engaging portions of the standards and arms curved the butters will be separated from each other when the arms are raised upon the standards, making it unnecessary in ordinary use to change the lateral position of the standards in the recesses A but in the case of a young inexperienced horse it is desirable to separate the buffers as far as possible until the horse has become accustomed to their use, after which they may be adjusted more closely together.

The adjustment of the buffers longitudinally of the shafts will permit of any desired change of the position of the buffers lengthwise of the horse.

By having the bar A and retaining-clips permanently fixed upon the shafts they can be painted to correspond with the shafts, all the adjustments being accomplished without changing the position of the clips or bar or leaving any unpainted,marred, or unfinished portions exposed to View.

Any known form of butter may be employed. I have shown in Fig. 5 a ball 0, fixed upon a pin C, rotary in apertures in the end of the supporting-arm, and a spring C fixed upon the arm. The pin is adapted to slide longitudinally back and forth through the arm, controlled by the spring which tends to force the ball away from the arm to the position shown. The spring yields to pressure of the horse against the ball.

In Fig. 6 the bu fferis secured to one end of a coil-spring C the other end being secured to the arm, as shown.

The spring-controlled buffers yield readily to a violentmoveincntof thehorse, but suffice to guide the horse in the proper track.

In Fig. 7 the ball I) is rotary on the spindle D, which is fixed at one end in the arm I3 and at its other end in the bracket-arm D The ball when not in use is supported by the spring D in the position shown, which is at the middle part of the spindle. The slide and rotary movements of the ball permit its surface which comes in contact with thehorse to partake of the vertical and longitudinal movements of the latter.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combinatiomwith a fixture upon the shaft of a vehicle, of astandardlongitudinally and laterally adjustable therein, and a butter vertically adjustable on the standard, substantially as described.

2. The combinatio'n vithastandard having a curved arc and an attaching-shank, of a buffer-arm having a correspondingly-cu rved arc, means, substantially as described, for adjustably binding the curved portions together, and a buffer secured to the buffer-arm, substantially as described.

3. The combination,- with the shaft of a Vehicle, of a standard erected therefrom,a buffer movably secured to the upper end of the standard, and abuffer-controlling spring, substantially as described.

4:. The combination, with the shaft of a Vehicle, of a standard erected therefrom, a buffer pivoted upon such standard, and means, substantially as described, for adj ustably securing the butter in a fixed position upon its pivot, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 31st day of May, 1890.

PATRICK CASHION.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. MOSHER, CHAS. L. ALDEN. 

